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Coronation Street in 1962
1962 was Coronation Street's third year. Main characters Production The Equity strike ends , Minnie and Martha in the Rovers snug]] The Equity actors' strike ended on 3rd April after raging on for over five months. The latter weeks of the dispute saw Coronation Street's cast reduced further, with Philip Lowrie's contract expiring at the end of February (although Lowrie had wanted to leave anyway). The programme's production was also hit, with the demands of creating storylines involving solely the thirteen remaining characters causing writer/storyliner Vince Powell to leave. According to then-writer John Finch, if the strike had gone on long enough that all of the actors' contracts ran out (ie. forcing production to shut down), the return of the programme wasn't guaranteed. Fortunately, ITV reached an agreement with Equity on 28th March, ending the strike two months before contracts ended. Returning Coronation Street's cast to full capacity was a gradual process which continued for the rest of the year. Storylines were planned so far in advance that it wasn't until mid-May that actors other than the core cast were given starring roles; Jennifer Moss had returned as Lucille Hewitt for one episode on 23rd April, but her appearance didn't affect the plot and was easily slotted in to a completed script. Moss came back permanently with Episode 150 on 21st May. Priority was given to characters who were supposed to have been living in Coronation Street (or close by) for the duration of the strike, and so Esther Hayes, Christine Hardman, Sheila Birtles, Emily Nugent, Doreen Lostock and Leonard Swindley all re-appeared in the following weeks. As actresses Daphne Oxenford and Christine Hargreaves were only available for a few weeks, their characters Esther and Christine moved out of Coronation Street almost as soon as they returned. Hargreaves signed a new contract in October after completing her theatre commitments, while Esther was strictly a recurring character post-strike. Subsequent returns included Anne Reid as Valerie Tatlock in July, and in November, Kenneth Cope, Anne Cunningham and Ernst Walder as Jed Stone, Linda Cheveski and Ivan Cheveski respectively. Valerie and Jed moved into the street, with Val marrying Ken Barlow and Jed becoming Minnie Caldwell's lodger, but the Cheveskis returned to their new home in Canada after two months. Jack Watson returned as Bill Gregory for two weeks in July to finish off the storyline of Elsie finding out he was married which had been dropped with the commencement of the strike. Some characters didn't return; including Jean Stark, Phil Braithwaite and Norman Dobson, despite all three living in Coronation Street at the onset of the strike. H.V. Kershaw's first year - writer, script editor, producer, Pictured on the Grape Street set]] Script editor H.V. Kershaw replaced Derek Granger as producer with Episode 140 on 16th April. Kershaw would be the go-to producer for Coronation Street for the following 11 years, with eight separate stints in the role, and several as executive producer. Due to the focus on bringing characters back, only one actor joined the main cast in 1962; Graham Haberfield as young builder Jerry Booth, who became Len Fairclough's apprentice. Meanwhile, Len's role grew, with Peter Adamson effectively becoming the programme's leading man with much focus on Len's will-they-won't-they relationship with Elsie Tanner, which arose during the strike, as well as his new joinery business. Meanwhile, Reginald Marsh was first seen as London-born bookie Dave Smith, a role he played on a recurring basis until 1976. The year's biggest storyline featured the snatching of baby Christopher Hewitt - born to Concepta and Harry in August - by Joan Akers (see "Viewing figures" section below). At the end of the year, the cast size was still lower than it was before the strike hit in October 1961. Having proved that it could function with a cast of thirteen and still attract huge audiences, Coronation Street's casting budget did not rise fast enough to combat the increasing cast salaries. This resulted in several houses in the street lying empty for large portions of the 1960s. Coronation Street stirred up an unexpected controversy when, in Episode 149, Ena Sharples wrote to Prince Philip asking for his help in stopping Coronation Street from being renamed Florida Street. This contravened a law stating that living members of the Royal Family couldn't be mentioned by name in stage plays or films. The Postmaster-General contacted Granada and told them to drop all references from future scripts but no further action was taken. After this, other programmes began to mention the Royal Family and the law quietly fell into disuse. In a reflection of the changing lives of people in the working class north, No.9 became the first household in the street other than the Rovers to have a phone installed. Viewing figures Coronation Street was at number one at in the ratings in all but two weeks of the year. Due to several episodes tying for first place, 57 episodes reached the top - the programme's highest ever number. With an audience of 8,406,000 homes, Episode 189 on 3rd October was the highest-rated episode of Coronation Street up to that point. The record was quickly broken by the following episode, in which Elsie Tanner found the missing Christopher Hewitt alive and well with Joan Akers and convinced her to return the baby to the Hewitts. As well as being the the most-watched episode of the year with 8,868,000 homes / 19.509 million viewers, it was the highest ever audience recorded for a British television programme, beating the 8,480,000 homes which had watched the Royal Variety Performance in November 1961. Just three weeks later, the 1962 Royal Variety Performance attracted an audience of 9,255,000 homes, breaking Coronation Street's short-lived record. In one of Coronation Street's most successful years, every month built upon 1961's audience averages. The yearly average was 16.80 million viewers - a 29% increase on 1961. Episodes Storylines January *Ena Sharples proves Dennis Tanner's innocence in the matter of the missing £20 from the Rovers till but a furious Elsie decides that they're boycotting the pub, even to the extent of refusing to enter the premises when Linda Cheveski phones from Canada. Annie's attitude and paranoia worsens and she insinuates that Len Fairclough is dishonest. The regulars boycott the pub. A horrified Annie finds the missing money stuck at the back of the till drawer and makes it up with her former customers who return to the fold. *Frank Barlow discovers that Ida Barlow had run up debts at the Corner Shop when Florrie Lindley, with Ken's agreement, adds 10/- to each order to pay off the sum. moves into No.11, sharing the house with Elsie!]] *Ena cannot take any more of Minnie Caldwell's mother, Amy Carlton, and wants to move back to the Mission but Albert Tatlock won't vacate. After a short stay at No.11 (to Elsie's horror), Ena moves back to Minnie's. *Ken Barlow interviews the residents about their drinking habits for an article that he is writing. *Concepta Hewitt grows tired of Harry's whippets and is horrified when he swaps them for a racing greyhound - Lucky Lolita. Dennis is paid to exercise the dog but promptly loses it. The more intelligent animal makes its own way home. The dog wins its first race and the residents, bitten by the bug, go to the next race and place large bets. Dennis steals Elsie's holiday deposit money to make his bet and Elsie finds out. February *Dennis's gamble pays off and he is able to return Elsie's money together with a share of his winnings. *In a sharp freeze, the water pipes freeze. Dennis thaws the pipes in Minnie's house with a blowtorch but they burst and flood the house leading Martha Longhurst to suggest that she sue for damages. When Concepta is sick and Dennis helps out in the Rovers for a night he serves Minnie a strong cocktail that knocks her out. tackles Ken about his article]] *Ken's article appears in a left-wing magazine, earning him twenty-five guineas but there is uproar when the local paper prints extracts leading most of the residents to feel insulted. When Ken tries to explain himself in the Rovers a fight breaks out between him and Len. The notoriety resulting from the articles shames the landlord into undertaking repairs to the houses. *Concepta's illness turns out to be morning sickness and she is able to tell a delighted Harry that they are expecting a baby. *Albert decides that he no longer wants to be Mission caretaker and he suggests to Mr Baxter, the committee chairman, that Ena be reinstated. The committee agrees and Ena returns to a "Welcome Home" party from the residents. *Lucky Lolita runs again after Harry refuses a large sum of money for the dog and, based on its previous performance, some of the residents place large bets – the animal comes in last. March *Dennis organises a charity concert for the Over-Sixties. The "Blue Streak Rockets" are banned from performing by the police and the other main act breaks down on the way to the Mission where the concert audience is waiting. Dennis is forced to cancel the concert and find overnight accommodation for the "Rockets" and two performing sea lions. As the Walkers are away for the night, he thinks that ensconcing them in Rovers is the answer but Jack and Annie return home early. By total coincidence, Dennis soon afterwards moves to London to help Lenny Phillips open a new talent agency office there. *Concepta has concerns that she is too old to have a baby. *Ken starts to write a novel about three boys growing up in a northern back street (Ken would return to the manuscript in July 2008). *Jack collapses behind the bar of the Rovers from overeating but Annie doesn't believe his reassuring news from the doctor. When she investigates herself, she thinks that Jack has been leading her on that he was really ill and loads job after job on him in retaliation. *Ena collapses in the Vestry from a stroke one evening and is not found until the next day. She is rushed to hospital also suffering from pneumonia and remains unconscious. *Len fits a fireplace for Elsie and causes gossip with the time he spends with her. April *Jack's mother dies in Barnsley. *Ena comes to in hospital and is soon her old self but is surprised when she receives a visit from a concerned Elsie. Minnie and Martha but her a budgie as a welcome home present but she rejects the gift when it constantly repeats "Ena won't like it". Martha takes the bird in. *As gossip spreads about Len and Elsie, Nellie Fairclough leaves her husband, taking son Stanley with her. When Concepta comforts Nellie, she and Len argue leading Harry to step in and the two friends fighting. Soon after Len is sacked for doing foreigners on Elsie's home and Concepta is suspected of telling his boss but it is Martha who confesses. Len becomes self-employed, working from a yard behind his home at 15 Mawdsley Street. and Jack deal with car trouble in the Peak District]] *Harry sells Lucky Lolita and uses the money towards a saloon car. Len helps him with a broken headlamp and the two men become friends again. The Hewitts, Len and the Walkers use the car to go to Lyme Park for an Easter Monday picnic but the it breaks down on the way back. *There are reports in the press about a night prowler in the area and the women become nervous that there are intruders in the empty No. 9. More and more signs become evident that someone is using the house until Len catches someone in the backing. May *Len finds out that youngster Billy Makin and his friends of the "Black Hand Gang" have been using No. 9 as a hideout. *The Brewery approves alterations to the Rovers and Len is given the job. Ken helps him out and the two forget their differences. *Frank and Florrie start spending time together to overcome their loneliness. *Nellie returns to Len. *Billy Walker returns to Weatherfield with his fiancée, London Beauty Queen Philippa Scopes. Annie is horrified and tries to dissuade Billy from marrying her. She causes consternation in the Street by encouraging Lucille Hewitt to experiment with make-up and by being too friendly with Ken. She breaks off her engagement to Billy when he objects to her continuing with beauty contests and returns to London. *Esther Hayes decides to move to Moor Lane and leaves the Street. *The council decides to rename the Street as there are too many "Coronation Street"'s in the area. The residents protest and Ena writes to Prince Philip to gain his support. June climbs the roof of Elliston's Raincoat Factory, intending to jump off]] *Christine Hardman becomes clinically depressed at the drudgery of her life. She goes to the roof of Elliston's Raincoat Factory with the intention of committing suicide but Ken talks her down. Soon afterwards she meets old flame Colin Appleby and marries him on impulse, moving away from the area with him. *Ken's novel is rejected by the publishers. *Frank and Florrie's understated romance continues, with Ken's blessing. *Leonard Swindley's shop is taken over by the chain of Gamma Garments. Doreen Lostock is re-employed as sales assistant. Len is employed to convert the loft into a store room and gets stuck in there for the night causing Ena to wonder if he spent the night with Elsie. *Sheila Birtles' parents are moving to the country and, wanting to stay, she and Doreen persuade Florrie to let them be tenants in the Corner Shop flat. *Len tells Elsie that Bill Gregory is returning to the area. July listens as Bill agrees to reconcile with his wife Phyllis]] *Bill arrives and he and Elsie take up their relationship again. Ena is the first one to realise that Bill is married and that Len knows. When he refuses to tell Elsie, Ena takes on the job. A shattered Elsie confronts Bill who tells her that he and Phyllis are separated but when Phyllis turns up and asks for a reconciliation he agrees to her request and they leave the area together. *Amy Carlton dies and Minnie Caldwell makes enquiries about moving from 15 Jubilee Terrace to 5 Coronation Street. *Valerie Tatlock returns to Weatherfield from Scotland. She and Ken take up where they left off the previous year and quickly become engaged. They set a date for 4th August and decide to buy No. 9. Val's parents can't make the wedding as her mother Edith is ill. Albert is happy to give the bride away and hires a morning suit and top hat for the occasion. *Business is good for Len and he takes on twenty-one year old Jerry Booth as his apprentice. *Doreen and Sheila move into the flat. *Gamma Garments holds a sale but it goes badly when Swindley forgets the key to the shop and Doreen sells hankies at 1/11 a box when the price should be per individual hankie. *Annie goes on holiday on her own to Babbacombe when Jack refuses to go with her snobby friends. She returns full of stories about an Arthur Forsyth-Jones. * Despite Harry's refusal to do so, Concepta buys a washing machine on HP. August and Val are married]] *Ken and Val are married and go on honeymoon to London where they meet an old friend of Ken's, Geoffrey Simpson, and spend time with him, much to Val's annoyance. They return to the Street and move into No. 9 where Val opens a hair salon. *Concepta goes into labour and gives birth to a son who is named Christopher. Lucille soon shows signs of jealousy over the baby and clashes with Harry when she plays loud records. Ena reminds Concepta that she needs to be a mother to Lucille too. *Minnie moves into No. 5. *The council drops its plan to rename the Street. *Sam Leach, an old man down on his luck is taken on at the Rovers. Jerry recognises him as his Uncle. The regulars start to wonder what happened to his wife and why Sam is on his own and they start to get ideas that perhaps Sam killed her. Sam disappears when the police come looking for him. *Swindley holds a fire drill at the shop but locks both himself and the staff out. Len has to smash a window to let them get back in. *Ena demands repairs to the Vestry which Len and Jerry carry out. *Frank and Florrie's friendship breaks up acrimoniously, not helped when Martha spreads gossip about them. Len threatens her with action for slander if she continues. *Swindley joins PPOP (the Progressive Property Owners and Small Traders Party) who are thinking of entering the local elections. September *Swindley is shortlisted as a candidate in the future elections. When the sitting councillor dies, the elections are brought forward and Swindley becomes the PPOP candidate when his opponent fails to turn up for the meeting. *Ena finds Sam hiding in the Mission. He is wanted for desertion of his wife. Ena persuades him to go to the police of his own free will but the regulars at the Rovers think she shopped him and they send her to Coventry. Sam writes to the Walkers telling them what really happened and, feeling guilty, the regulars apologise to Ena and welcome her back to the Snug. *Another London publisher considers Ken's novel. Enthused, Ken plans to give up teaching and become a writer, living off Val's earnings in the meantime. Val is supportive but Esther and Albert oppose the idea. punches Dave Smith over Elsie]] *Elsie meets dodgy bookie Dave Smith when Dot Greenhalgh persuades her to go to the races and she wins on a horse. Dave takes Elsie out but Len is jealous and hits Dave in the Rovers. *Ena blackmails Swindley for expensive paper in the vestry by threatening to vote against him in the elections. *Lucille reaches breaking point with Christopher when Concepta blames her for making him cry. She runs away from home but is found by Ena and persuaded to return. October searches the streets for Christopher]] *The Hewitts make an effort to be more peaceful with each other. Harry and Concepta organise a party to celebrate their first wedding anniversary but a crisis hits the Street when Lucille, running an errand before the party, leaves the pram outside Gamma Garments only to discover that the baby has been taken when she comes out of the shop. The police start an intensive search of the area that the residents join in with. Concepta breaks down at the loss of her baby. Elsie returns from a holiday and meets a young lady called Joan Akers who knew Linda at school. Suspicious of the baby that Joan supposedly has, Elsie visits her and discovers Christopher in her possession – Joan's own baby had previously died and the event had disturbed her mind. *Emily socialises with Sheila's cousin Edwin Birtles, causing Swindley to feel jealous. He is preoccupied though with his election campaign. Minnie agrees that her house can be election HQ and he goes canvassing with his agent Mr Spinks. An election meeting in the Mission is curtailed when the boiler in the basement explodes. *Mr Spinks finds an abandoned love letter “from Jack” in the Mission and makes the mistake of handing it to Martha who immediately thinks it is to Ena and starts to show it round the Street. Annie realises that it is one of hers that Jack sent her and which she took to the Mission on the night of the gas mains explosion. *Albert becomes a lollipop man outside Bessie Street School. *Len Fairclough goes to court over his fight with Dave Smith and is bound over to keep the peace. *Jerry goes out with Sheila, riding on a tandem bicycle. The date goes badly when the bike falls into a ditch and the two have to walk ten miles back. *The Walkers celebrate their silver wedding anniversary with a party in the Rovers but the event goes wrong when Jack and Annie bicker and Swindley accidentally spills a trifle over a dress that Elsie "borrowed" from Miami Modes. She manages to get the dress cleaned and back in the store before her boss Mrs Dumbarton finds out. *Frank and Florrie come to an understanding when Frank tells her he only wanted friendship but nothing more. She lies and says she wanted the same thing. *Emily joins a literary circle. *Christine returns to the area and the residents wonder if she has left Colin. They are shocked to discover that Colin is dead, killed in a car accident only three months into their marriage. November *Christine starts working with Elsie at Miami Modes. Jed Stone returns to the area and tries it on with her but Frank comes to her rescue. He, in turn, starts to develop a crush on the younger girl. *Martha badgers Ena about the love letter until Jack makes her hand it back. moves in]] *Jed lodges with Minnie and tries to sell twenty four wash basins and cons Jerry into buying the lot for the Builder's Yard for £25. Jerry becomes nervous that they’ve stolen. The police investigate but for once Jed is involved in a legitimate deal and made a huge profit from Jerry, having only bought them himself for £6, 10/-. *Albert becomes concerned for a young girl who uses his crossing called Susan Schofield. She sports a black eye and, encouraged to tell her troubles to the old man, runs away from home to No. 1 where she tells Albert about her drunken and abusive father. Albert confronts Jim Schofield, backed up by Harry and warns him not to touch the youngster again. *The election takes place but Swindley loses, achieving third place. *Emily’s literary circle makes plans to put on a play at Christmas for the Over-Sixties but when they back out the residents form the Mission Hall Players and decide to perform an old melodrama, Lady Lawson Loses and Swindley agrees to direct it. *Elsie is delighted when the Cheveskis come over for Christmas. It soon becomes clear that Linda doesn’t like Canada. December *Linda wants Ivan to get his old job back in Britain but he refuses, preferring their life in Canada. She worries about Elsie being alone and wonders about staying but after a chat with Ena she decides to return once Christmas is over. *Sheila's parents try to force her to come and live with them in Rawtenstall but she refuses. Florrie brokers the peace by agreeing to keep them informed as to how Sheila is really coping and not just rely on their daughter's assurances. *Val starts to realise that Frank is serious about Sheila and snubs her. Frank tells his son and daughter-in-law that his intentions are serious and they are to mind their own business. He gives Christine a brooch for Christmas. *As the Barlows' money situation gets worse, Val starts to worry as her hairdressing business doesn't cover the bills. Albert tells Ken the predicament that they are in and he manages to save his job at Bessie Street at the last moment and not give up teaching. ]] *The residents get to grips with putting on the play. Emily's nerves fray as the opening night gets nearer, especially when she is cast in the lead role. Len builds the scenery and Jed provides the costumes but gets ones from the wrong period. The cast make do and despite several errors on the night all goes well. Emily, plied with tranquillisers and whisky, faints when the play is finished and everyone has gone home. *The residents worry about Len who is becoming more and more irritable. He finally reveals to Harry that Nellie and Stanley have run off to Nottingham with insurance man Harry Bailey. Who lives where '''Coronation Street' *Rovers Return Inn - Jack and Annie Walker *1 Coronation Street - Albert Tatlock (from February onwards). Valerie Tatlock (from July to August) *3 Coronation Street - Frank Barlow. Ken Barlow (to August) *5 Coronation Street - Esther Hayes (to May, then empty to August). Minnie Caldwell (from August onwards). Jed Stone (from November onwards) *7 Coronation Street - Harry, Concepta and Lucille Hewitt. Christopher Hewitt (from August onwards) *9 Coronation Street - (Empty until August) Ken and Valerie Barlow (from August onwards) *11 Coronation Street - Elsie Tanner. Dennis Tanner (until April). Christine Appleby (from October onwards). *13 Coronation Street - Christine Hardman (until June) *Corner Shop (No.15) - Florrie Lindley *Corner Shop Flat (No.15a) - (Empty until July) Doreen Lostock and Sheila Birtles (from July onwards) *Glad Tidings Vestry - Albert Tatlock (until February). Ena Sharples (from February) Mawdsley Street *7 Mawdsley Street - Martha Longhurst *15 Mawdsley Street - Len Fairclough Others *15 Jubilee Terrace - Ena Sharples (until February), Minnie Caldwell (until August). Amy Carlton (until July) *62 Viaduct Street - Ernest, Nellie and Jerry Booth Awards and nominations Daily Mirror Television Awards *Best Character Actress: Violet Carson (Winner) Variety Club of Great Britain *ITV Personality of the Year: Violet Carson Category:1962 Category:Coronation Street year-by-year